Anti-Bullying

Collaborative Problem Solving

This week we will spend time on the topic of behavior management and strategies for anti-bullying. Here are a number of resources to explore and consider implementing in your work with children. Share your thinking about your research. You may include your rethinking about behavior, ideas for "Anthony", and strategies that you may want to trial in your new placement. Site your resources. Your response should be 300-500 words and respond to at least 2 others.​Consider This: A child's behavior is a symptom of a difficulty (an unmet expectation and a child with skill deficits) that manifests into a behavior. A teacher's role is to identify the unmet expectations (academic/behavior/social) and the skill deficits that the child needs to learn to meet the expectation. Once understood, the educator creates a new set of expectations that allow the student to succeed and learn.

Collaborative Problem Solving (Lives in the Balance) and Think Kidsare two organizations that believe 'kids do well if they can'. They believe that when a child can not do well it is not because 'they don't want to' but that they are missing skills (lagging skills). These 'lagging skills' make it difficult or impossible to meet the expectations (behavior, emotional, social academic) that are needed to be successful. They DO NOT believe it is just a matter of 'will' and that you need to make them 'want to'. It is our job to help develop those skills so kids can meet the expectations. Their program provides the adult (parents, teachers, clinicians) with the skills to work with children with lagging skills.Article: Kids Do Well If They CanBullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Both kids who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems. ​

​School to Prison Pipeline: When we fail to educate

Each year, significant numbers of students miss class due to suspensions and expulsions—even for minor infractions of school rules—and students of color and with disabilities are disproportionately impacted.

DOE and DOJ developed a package of guidance information that includes:

Dear Colleague letter describing how schools can meet their legal obligations under federal law to administer student discipline without discriminating against students on the basis of race, color or national origin

Publication about “best practices” describing three key principles and related action steps to guide state and local efforts to improve school climate and school discipline

U.S. DOE and DOJ Release School Discipline Guidance PackageThe transformed CRDC makes public long hidden data about discipline in schools. Get a good visual summary of all kinds of information about suspensions, expulsions, arrests, restraint and seclusion, student retention and… the disparate rates between disabled and non-disabled kids.

The National Adult Literacy Survey reported that the percentage of prisoners in U.S. jails who tested at the two lowest levels of reading proficiency is 70% (2003).

The U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Commerce estimates that 30 percent of federal inmates, 40 percent of state prison inmates, and 50 percent of persons on death row are high school dropouts (2003, 2007).

But what does this have to do with early literacy? The correlation between early reading experience and high school dropout is proven repeatedly in academic studies. In 2011 the Annie E. Casey Foundation report “Early Warning! Why reading by the end of third grade matters” showed definitively that low-income children who are not reading on grade level by 3rd grades are six times more likely to drop out of high school than their peers are. And low-income children of color who are not at grade level by 3rd grade? Eight times more likely to drop out of high school.

The first video that I watched was “What is PBIS?”. I found this video very interesting. Not only does it explain what positive behavior intervention and support is, but it also gives us an idea on how to support students in their positive behavior. PBIS is used to help make safe environments which makes learning more fun and engaging. One way to monitor the environment and the students is through red critter. This is the first time I have seen red critter and learned how it works. This is something that I think is both useful, but if used in a correct way. I think that when students can see their personal badges and personal growth. My fear is that if teachers use the part where students can see others achievements it might be harder for students who may not necessarily have the skills to interact with peers in a way that can earn them badges. I think that teachers need to be careful with how they use this. This is something that I would really love to use in my classroom.
The second video I watched was “Kids do well if they can”. This video was about the idea of kids doing well if they can versus kids doing well if they want to. I never personally thought of the difference, but now that I have watched this video and thought about the difference I realized how important it is to understand. All kids want to do well, it is not a matter of if they want to or not. It is up to the teacher to make sure the students can do well. When students come into our classroom it is very important to set them up to succeed whether it be academically, physically or socially.
The last thing I looked at was the school to prison pipeline poster from safequalityschools.org. This made me think a lot about my high school. When I was a sophomore Beverly built a new school. In this school there were cameras everywhere, police that had offices at the school and it was very unwelcoming. My peers and myself always compared it to a prison. Looking at this poster it does not surprise me that this is part of the issue of the school to prison pipeline. In my future classroom I hope to make it as welcoming to my students and their families as possible. I believe that the more welcoming it is to my students the more they will succeed academically.

Reply

Brianna Normile

7/27/2017 07:54:16 am

Haley,

I also think it would be great for students to see their personal badges and growth, but also fear that students will get anxious about earring the badges. Things like this and public behavior charts can be difficult on students who worry about themselves and how they are acting.
I also think that all kids want to do well and that it is up to us to make sure they are getting the skills they need to succeed.

Reply

Caitlin Kelleher

7/29/2017 05:00:10 pm

Hi Haley!
I liked how you explained PBIS. Students should see their personal growth while in the classroom. I see how students might have a hard time looking at other students personal growth because they could compare themselves to one another. I could see this being successful in some classrooms based on the group of students you are working with.

Reply

Lily Montagna

7/30/2017 03:37:51 pm

Haley,

The exterior features of that new school communicate to students what the expectations are of those kiddos. I can imagine feeling unsafe and uncomfortable in an environment like that. Rather than cameras and security protocol everywhere, I wonder if putting up a bulletin board recognizing students' growth in a particular area or accomplishments, ways they've served the community, that would be a much better way to encourage the culture they want to see in that school and community.

Reply

James McDonough

7/31/2017 06:16:14 am

Hi Haley,
I had never even known about PBIS before. I just knew PBS.

Reply

Tory Small

7/31/2017 03:28:34 pm

Haley,
I also watched the PBIS video and it was the first time I had heard of Red Critter too. I hadn't thought about the idea of students comparing themselves using the app, however, now that you mention it, I would definitely be worried about that as well. My class used Class Dojo last yeah and it never seemed like students were comparing their behavior awards, but it was clear that some students were not at all motivated by the behavior awards, it is possible that it is because they were comparing themselves to their classmates.

Reply

Brianna Normile

7/27/2017 07:47:18 am

For this blog, I decided to read the “Top Ten Classroom Management Ideas and Resources”. The article started off talking about two philosophies: kids do well if they want to, and kids do well if they can. The first philosophy applies to children who are not doing well because they do not want to, while the second philosophy “carries the assumption that if a kid could do well, he would do well”. If students are not doing well in school, it is because they are lacking the skills they need to do well. Students who do not have the skills to do the task at hand start to act out. These are the students with behavioral problems in the classroom. When there are students with behavioral problems, we as teachers need to figure out what task is difficult for that child, and how we are going to adjust our teaching methods to meet the child’s needs, instead of blaming the behavior on something else.
I think this is extremely important to take into consideration when we are teaching. Many teachers think students act the way they do because of attention, because they are not motivated, or because of a mental illness. We have to take a step back and thinking about what we are missing here and how we can help the student succeed in school. Anthony’s swearing and other behavioral issues could be because of his lack of skill for certain areas. He might get extremely frustrated when people cannot understand him. In a section of the article, it talks about difficulty expressing concerns, needs, or thoughts in words. “Most of the thinking and communicating we do involves language, so it’s no accident that many kids with language delays also have trouble handling the social, emotional, and behavioral demands that are placed upon them”. This could explain the swearing and other outbursts when in sessions with the specialists.

Reply

Haley Alwardi

7/27/2017 10:32:11 am

Hi Brianna,
I really liked how you took this information and applied to it Anthony and his swearing. It makes sense that he would get frustrated, not be able to communicate and escalate and swear.This makes sense in any case. People get upset and tend to say things, but I can't imagine what it must be like to not have the communication skills to explain what is wrong.

Reply

Lindsey Blackman

7/28/2017 11:31:22 am

I also read “Top Ten Classroom Management Ideas and Resources”. I agree with you that Anthony’s swearing is most likely a result of lack of skills. I noticed that whenever he is heavily swearing, it is when he is frustrated with the task at hand. I think it is great that you pointed out that as teachers we need to adjust our teaching methods to meet the child’s needs, instead of blaming the behavior on something else. I once observed a 3rd grade classroom for a semester and the teacher never gave students the benefit of the doubt. She never went out of her way to help the children figure out what they were struggling with, rather she punished them and humiliated them in front of the whole class. From that experience, I decided that I did not want to ever be a teacher like that. I think the article “Top Ten Classroom Management Ideas and Resources” had some great strategies to assessing and supporting behavior.

Reply

James McDonough

7/31/2017 06:16:53 am

I agree with this statement.

Reply

Lindsey Blackman

7/27/2017 12:55:31 pm

When thinking about behavior of children, I think Ross Greene put it perfectly by saying that kids do well if they can, not if they want to. Teachers need to assume children are already motivated, know right from wrong and have been punished enough, and then figure out what skills they are lacking. I think the “he has a bad attitude” example is a great example of how assuming a kid is a bad kid is wrong. There are typically reasons as to why a child misbehaves, such as always being misunderstood or over-punished. It is important to remember that behind every difficult behavior is an unsolved problem or lagging skill. I like the “it takes two to tango” analogy: a child who is lacking skills and an environment that demands the skills. This analogy shows that a child’s behavior is not just a one sided issue rather there are often more factors that need to be considered.

I think implementing relationship-building strategies will be helpful for creating a positive classroom environment, especially since I do not know my incoming students. One example from “Creating a Classroom Environment That Promotes Positive Behavior” that I would like to implement in my classroom is class meetings. I really like the idea of having a box in the classroom where students and teachers submit compliments and descriptions of confrontational situations in order to identify and handle problems. I also found the nonverbal communication chart to be helpful (p. 292). As teachers, it is important to be aware of how students perceive our messages, expressions and movements. I enjoyed the video, “Time-Out-In-A-Responsive-Classroom” because the teacher clearly states her expectations and understandings, which I think is really important when establishing a positive learning environment. I like how the teacher gives a personal example of how she sometimes has difficulty following rules because it helps the students understand that everyone, even teachers, break the rules sometimes and being able to reflect on that and learn from mistakes is a positive thing.

When it comes to bullying, students with disabilities are often targets. Bullying has become a rising issue in schools, especially due to social media. As teachers, we need to be aware of things going on in our classroom and know how to handle situations of bullying. When assessing situations of bullying, there are many factors that come into play. Just like there is always a reason as to why a child misbehaves, I think there is always a reason as to why a child bullies. According to stopbullying.gov, there are more than just the child who bullies and the child who is bullied, there are also the kids who reinforce, assist, are outsiders, and defend the child who bullies or the child who is being bullied. Also on this website, I find it interesting how they suggest to focus on the behavior rather than labeling the child as something. For example, instead of calling a child “the bully”, you should refer to them as “the child who bullied”. I wonder if Anthony’s 3rd grade teacher kept the class separate from other students in hopes of avoiding bullying.

I like how you focused on the language that stopbullying.gov talked about. We talk about "people first language" across content areas as educators but I have never seen it being used in this context. We are taught to say, "students with special needs" instead of, "special needs students", and "students in the METCO program", instead of "METCO students". By putting the students first we are referring them to them as individuals, and as people. I agree that this is also important language to use when discussing bullying.

Reply

Lily Chase-Lubitz

7/28/2017 10:35:05 am

For this blog post I focused specifically on behavior management. I watched many videos, but the one I really focused on discussed responsive classroom timeouts. In responsive classrooms teachers emphasize the relationship between social/emotional behavior and academic learning. In this video, the 3rd grade teacher focused primarily on time outs. Rather than implementing time outs as a form of punishment, she uses them as a form of recovery or therapy. She explains that at the start of the school year the students worked together to create 4 rules/guidelines that will create a safe classroom. Her discussion of the consequences for breaking these rules was what I found most interesting. She explains that it is normal and okay to get angry, frustrated, or to break a rule. She normalizes mistakes in a way that doesn’t make them acceptable, but forgivable and natural. Rather than use time outs as a threat for bad behavior, she introduces them as a positive useful tool for each of the students to utilize when they need it. As she explained this, I felt like this could be a great way to incorporate the breathing strategies and Zones of Regulation we learned in class. If a student finds him or herself moving into a yellow, blue, or red zone he or she could take a time out in order to regroup. This type of time out method could be very useful for Anthony because it requires explicit instruction. By outlining 4 classroom rules the students know exactly what it is expected of them. They also know exactly what to do if they find themselves breaking these rules. We do know that Anthony does not like time outs, so perhaps it could be helpful for him to view time outs as period of recuperation.

What I found most interesting in this video however, was these students’ awareness of their personal struggles. For example, one student spoke about his struggles with working hard (working hard was 1 of the 4 classroom rules). He struggles with this because when his schoolwork is easy he rushes to complete it. Another student spoke about her difficulty with listening. She often gets distracted by other things in the classroom and realized she has missed instruction. This high level self-awareness really impressed me. It reflected that the students were conscious of their internal struggles and that the right teacher and the right method can help them manage their difficulties. By sharing her own struggle and by asking students to share theirs, this teacher has created a safer environment that eliminates the negative mystery around time outs or punishment. Although I think that certain consequences or punishments can be appropriate in the classroom, I really liked the idea that these strategies could almost prevent this behavior.

Reply

Lindsey Blackman

7/28/2017 11:13:16 am

Lily,

Similarly to you, I also focused on responsive classroom time-outs. I found the teacher’s approach to using time-outs as a form of recovery to be both interesting and seemingly effective. When children are punished for making a mistake, they often just sit there and fidget around completely disregarding the fact that they broke a rule. I think self-reflection and having a time to recover from a possibly heated situation is a great approach to a time-out. I like that you pointed out that the teacher normalizes mistakes in a way that does not make them acceptable, but forgivable and natural because I think that is something we can all learn from. I also think you made a great connection between the video and the Zones of Regulation that we learned in class. I think implementing some breathing strategies while students are in a time-out would make it a calm and relaxed process rather than an uptight and frustrating experience.
Furthermore, I too was impressed with the students’ high level of self-awareness. I believe the teacher did a great job at setting the stage for her students by giving an example from her own life, which in turn encouraged them to share their own thoughts and feelings.

Reply

Caitlin Kelleher

7/29/2017 04:49:20 pm

Hi Lily,
I watched time outs in a responsive classroom. I liked how this teacher focused on how time outs can be a positive tool instead of a negative tool. She did a great job of explaining how they would be used in the classroom and holding each student to the same expectations. Also, I liked how you compared the zones of regulations to this video. These strategies defiantly relates to one another.

Reply

Lily Montagna

7/30/2017 03:34:14 pm

Lily,

I like your suggestion of using time-outs (or breaks) for Anthony, especially if he is struggling to regulate himself. We haven't seen many instances of this in class, but I agree that it could be really useful based on the challenges we have seen/heard about him having in staying on task or when he is upset or uncomfortable physically due to his digestive problems. I wonder if this strategy were to be implemented in the classroom, if the name could even be changed to something else, such as "reset breaks." Or do people think that it would be valuable to re-teach him a concept ("time-outs") in a different light? I'm not sure if that would be confusing to him or helpful for him to keep his mind flexible.

Reply

Tory Small

7/31/2017 03:34:26 pm

Lily,
I also loved the Time Outs in a Responsive Classroom video. I thought the teacher did an amazing job introducing the idea of timeouts as a positive tool. I also agree that Anthony can definitely benefit from allowing him brain/classroom breaks throughout the day.

Reply

Brianna Normile

8/6/2017 08:20:29 am

Lily,

I really like the idea of having "time outs" as a way to recover and regroup from something that just happened. Students need to know that everyone makes mistakes, that it is ok, and that they will come back from what they did. I also think it would be a great opportunity to incorporate breathing strategies and other forms of mindfulness.

Reply

Sara Cane

8/12/2017 01:53:41 pm

Lily,
I too watched the video on time outs and found it to be a great resource for us to use in our own classrooms. I agree that this would be a good model to use specifically for Anthony. These children shown in the video were at the same age as him, however higher functioning so it may take some work. I do think he would really benefit from seeing this space as an outlet rather than a punishment.

Reply

Yan Li Xu

7/29/2017 11:46:09 am

Social and emotional learning is an important part of the learning process for children. Children are still learning these skills at elementary and high school. Even as adults, we are learning of ways to deal with our emotions. I know when I enter the classroom in fall; I will be scared and worried about what will happen. I know I can take deep breaths to relax and think about how I can help my students instead.
Teachers need to remember students aren’t behaving in negative ways because they want to. In the article ‘Kids Do Well If They Can’, it mentions, how students might be lacking the skills for successful learning; therefore, they have behaviors of extreme. Teachers might say ‘he just wants attention’ but as the article explained he might be lacking the skills to seek attention in an appropriate way. As a teacher, I need to think of ways to help him learn the skills he needs to succeed.
In the beginning of the school year, teacher usually discuss with students about classroom routine and rules. However, social emotional learning is more than just routines and rules. Some students might be lacking the skills to join a social situation and play with his/her friends. They might believe hitting is the way to play with friends. It is important to teach about social and emotional behaviors through out the school year.
I watched some videos from kineticvideo.com. If the child does not know what s/he has done, giving time out is not the most effective way for him/her to understand and learn to change his behavior. In one of the videos, I watched how the teacher taught students about time out by demonstrating what she does in time out. A successful time out is for children to calm down and think about what they have done.
Bullying is a major problem in our society today and it affects everyone, the ‘bully’, the one who is bullied and the bystanders. Bullying is a social and emotional problem, which we need to help children learn about. Instead of just punishing the ‘bully’, as a teacher, I need to find the cause of the problem and ways I can prevent it from happening. Punishment is not the answer, as shown in the mass incarceration video. Teaching children the skills they need to successful integrate in a social environment have far greater benefits.

Reply

Sam Sinotte

7/31/2017 08:57:12 am

I also read the article "Kids Do Well If They Can" and was relating to a lot of the information that was provided. Working with younger students, I found myself questioning if they were making poor choices just because they did not know otherwise. Every student comes into the classroom with different skills, and it is helpful to identity which students need more support with skills that may come easier to other students. I think time out is a great strategy to use, but I think it is easy for it to have a negative meaning surrounding it. If teachers can model how to use it correctly, then students will benefit and use it in a way to help them socially and emotionally.

Reply

Erin Bruce

8/3/2017 10:41:15 am

I didn't read this article, but I thought you gave it a great summary and I am certainly interested in reading it now. Social-emotional learning is a topic that is rising in popularity and and relevance in today's age. Additionally, I agree with you that finding the root of a bully's motive is more valuable than punishing (or bullying...) the bully. This is an important tactic to explain to students especially, because sometimes they will feel upset if they "tell" the teacher about a bully and do not see the bully getting punished.

Reply

Caitlin Kelleher

7/29/2017 04:30:47 pm

The first video I watched was Kinetic Video- Time Out in a Responsive Classroom. This video discussed how sometimes it is hard to follow rules and you might need a time out. A time out is a positive tool used when students lose control or don’t follow the rules; the goal of a time out is to gain control of your body. I enjoyed how the teacher gave examples of how she has a difficult time following rules. She used real life examples that the students could relate to. Something I would change from this video is the word ‘time out’. Time outs are usually given to a child when they have done something bad. I would use the word ‘chill out’ instead because it is a positive phrase that allows the child to calm down and gain control of their bodies.

The second video I watched was Anti-Bullying Elementary School. This video used visuals to show how hurtful words can be. I enjoyed watching this video because people don’t realize how hurtful words can be to someone when they say them, but when you see the words written you realize how hurtful they really are. I would use this video in my classroom to discuss bullying and what we can do to help someone who is being bullied. Also, my students would be able to relate to this video because it is focused around an elementary student who is being bullied by her classmates.

A tool/ strategy I would use for Anthony’s behavior is something I used in my classroom this year. My teacher created a ‘calm down’ center for the students to use whenever they were engaging in distracting behaviors in the classroom. At the ‘calm down’ center, the student can look at an I Spy book, talk to themselves in a red phone, or look at themselves in a mirror. The ‘calm down’ center allows students to gain control of their body before or after engaging in distracting behaviors. Anthony would be able to use the ‘calm down’ center if he is swearing or feels like he is going to. The ‘calm down’ center is a good tool for students to use to gain self awareness of themselves and their bodies.

Reply

Elizabeth Watts

7/30/2017 08:31:08 am

Caitlin,

I liked how you discussed the importance of using positive language when talking to students in regards to behavior management. It is important for students to understand that everyone is going to make mistakes, or lose control sometimes, but what is more important is that they have the skills to handle these situations in a positive way. I also really liked your example of a chill out space in your classroom. I also had a similar space in my classroom but I did not have a mirror in it. I love the idea of the child being able to look at themselves as a strategy that they can use to calm down and reflect on their behavior.

Reply

Sam Sinotte

7/31/2017 09:08:53 am

Hi Caitlin,

I also do not like the word time out, as students tend to view it in a negative light. In a lot of the classrooms that I have been in and observed over the years, the teachers had a calm down space, that you mentioned would help Anthony, that the students could use when they were feeling overwhelmed. I think this would be a better solution to use first, to calm down, then to sit a time out to show that the behavior is not tolerated. This gives the student a strategy to calm down, then a time to think about their actions, and lastly I think a conversation needs to take place between the student, teacher, and other student that may be involved in order to teach appropriate behaviors. I agree that this calm down space could help Anthony, and provide him skills to use at school, and home, to help him calm down.

Reply

Janine Steinhauser

7/31/2017 06:18:12 pm

Hi Caitlin,

I also watched the Time Out in a Responsive Classroom video and really liked how she used real life examples with her students. While watching the video, it didn't even cross my mind to use a term other than time out. I like how you said you would use 'chill out' instead. I do think that would be very helpful and would allow the students to gain control of themselves before returning back to class.

Reply

Yan Li Xu

8/1/2017 06:32:24 am

Hi Caitlin,
I agree with you that children need more positive reinforcement instead of negatives. Having too much negativity makes the kids lose confidence and dislike school. I like the idea of a ‘calm down’ center, it loses the negative connotation related to time out and allow the student to calm themselves down instead of needing assistance to calm down. I think this gives student more control of their action and learn how to calm down before they start on disruptive behavior again.

Reply

Elizabeth Watts

7/30/2017 08:22:00 am

The first article I read and video I watched was “Kids Do Well If They Can” by Ross Greene. His main idea throughout the acritical is that “kids with social, emotional, and behavioral challenges lack important thinking skills” (p. 161, Greene, 2008). When students lack the skills needed to be successful in school, children will seek attention, over compensate, or cover-up their lacking skills by exhibiting undesired behaviors. I also watched Greene’s video “Check Your Lenses” where he discusses that in many educational settings, a teacher may believe that the child is not motivated so the behavior plans children are put on are designed to increase motivation. He argues that instead we should be figuring out what skills are lacking so that we can teach the children these skills and therefore stop the undesired behaviors. I have seen how effective this philosophy can be especially when working with students with Autism. Many of these students have undesired behaviors that are caused by a lack in their social skills, so by teaching them social skills and language or communication techniques the undesired behaviors can be stopped.

I also read the article “Pipeline to Prison: Special Education too often leads to jail for thousands of American children” by Jackie Mader. This article discusses how many students in special education do not learn the skills needed to be successful and therefore end up in prison. She blames it partly on the lack of early childhood education. As an early childhood educator, I see how crucial and beneficial it is for all students, especially those with special needs to receive early education and interventions so that they can develop the foundational skills that they need to be successful. This also relates back to Greene’s theory of behaviors being caused by students’ lack of skills, not motivation. Early childhood education provides direct instruction in the social and emotional skills necessary to regulate our emotions and behavior as we continue to grow and develop, which creates a situation where students are going to have the skills necessary to be successful and stay out of jail.

I am glad you brought up the Pipeline to Prison article. I read this article as well and watched a few other videos on Mass Incarceration in the United States. The Mass Incarceration video is a nice supplement to this article as it discusses the very strong correlation between the number of those who drop out of school and those who go to prison. The point you introduce regarding early childhood education is an important one. I think that early childhood educators can help children who are just beginning their academic careers manage these "undesirable behaviors".

Reply

Lily Montagna

7/30/2017 03:28:40 pm

As the positive behavior support at my elementary school this past year, I spent a lot of time learning about PBIS and positive reinforcement of expected or desired behaviors as a method for how to reduce challenging behaviors. I was also Safety Care trained, meaning I received training as to how to de-escalate students verbally and also physically if necessary. For this blog post, I chose to focus more on methods of supporting students with challenging behavior that were unfamiliar to me. I was fascinated to learn more about the “Kids Do Well if They Can” philosophy as well as the Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) method, which took a different approach from PBS and a more rewards focused system. I watched the video by Ross Greene (https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=270&v=jvzQQDfAL-Q) and appreciated his encouragement to acknowledge one’s personal philosophy for how to deal with challenging behaviors. I had never thought of behaviors on that level before, and I really appreciated that he urged viewers to tackle what is getting in the way of students doing well in the classroom versus making them want to behave well. It seems like a much more collaborative, positive approach than the latter, and the CPS model seemed to complement it well. The theory of CPS is that teachers should engage students in hearing their concerns first, then sharing the teacher’s concerns with the child’s behavior or situation, and finally brainstorm and conclude with some strategies moving forward. This allows the child to be heard and feel safe, shows the child that the teacher is on their side (building relationship), and improves collaboration as well as outcomes. The challenge with these frameworks for addressing behavior (PBIS, CPS, etc) in my opinion is that the whole team has to be on board for it to be fully effective. As a para, if I were to engage with a student in CPS to solve a problem (depending on how big of a problem it is), I would have to check with the classroom teacher and/or the special educator as well to make sure they were comfortable with the compromise or solution. Again, this depends on the student, the teacher-para dynamics, and the nature or magnitude of the specific situation.
In addition to these topics, I explored the statistics surrounding incarceration, expulsion, and suspension of students from different demographics or groups. The statistics relating to African-American and Hispanic students were something I had seen before. Something that was new for me, however, was the statistic that students covered under IDEA are 2x as likely to have one or more out of school suspensions. What is it going to take for those statistics to decrease across the board?

Lily, I also read about the "Kids Do Well if They Can" philosophy and I agree that it is a much more collaborative approach between teacher and student. The focus is much less on the student, and much more on the mindset of the teacher. It really changes how one can look at a student and help them. It definitely changes the approach to a much more positive one and makes it seem like the teacher and student are on the same team, working for success.

Reply

James McDonough

7/31/2017 06:15:10 am

It’s so interesting that one of the strategies being talked about here is Positive Behavior Supports. Currently, I am taking a course on this here at Wheelock. I also heard the term brought up when I was at Simmons last fall. I remember the terms like punishment and behavior, which are not just used for special needs kids. They are used for many situations. The professor used the example of his dog and how he can be rewarded for doing some sort of activity he is told to do. When I did my presentation on autism in class, I brought up Applied Behavior Analysis, or ABA, which is the most common method used. I never heard the full term before, though, Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports or PBIS. The idea of Red Critter is a good one. It helps to track students’ behavior so that you know how well they are doing. As I mentioned in an earlier post, they had to keep data on me when I was in school, but it was handwritten. With something like this, it becomes much easier. It’s also interesting that the Perkins School for the Blind uses these methods. I didn’t think that those types of students would need this sort of thing. Then again, even blind kids can have behavior problems as well.
I really like the idea of anti-bullying. Bullying is a problem in schools across the country and in the real world. Kids with special needs get bullied a lot. I remember getting bullied because kids new that it would get me easily upset. I reacted because, if I didn’t, then what they said would bother me later on. By the time I got to high school, the bullying had subsided, though I did have some problems with a few students. One boy was doing it because he came from a tough background. We should always know what is causing them to bully, and get them to stop.

Reply

Haley

7/31/2017 03:25:08 pm

Hi James,
I also think that red critter is a great idea as long as it is being used in a supportive positive way. One thing that that makes me nervous is students comparing themselves to another. But, I also like how it can all be stored in red critter versus having paperwork and other forms of reward!

Reply

Sarah Morgenthaler

8/1/2017 07:13:23 am

James,
Thats very interesting to hear that PBIS and Red Critter are implemented in Perkins for the Blind. One would think that just because they are blind there is nothing else this person is going through, but clearly we are wrong. Behavior problems come up form the surface due to an issue that is being faced by that individual. I am sure it is very hard for an individual to live and learn while being blind. I certainly couldn't imagine not being able to see on a day to day basis, but many people are living and succeeded even though they can't see.

Reply

Sam Sinotte

7/31/2017 08:49:21 am

PBS and classroom management skills and practices have been a large part of my undergrad education, as well as my classroom experience over the past year. I found myself relating to a lot of what was said in the “Positive Behavior Support” video, and agreed with the idea of seeing a behavior for more than it is. Behaviors are caused either by a student avoiding or obtaining something, and in order to change the behavior, you must determine what they are avoiding or obtaining. The majority of the students in my classroom had behaviors as a result of avoiding work, or obtaining attention. Once I determined that, it was easier to put plans in place to alleviate the triggers. I also liked the ideas about punishments that this video had. The word punishment has a negative connotation attached to it, and students see a time out or other punishments in a negative light and at times do not even understand why they received that punishment. The idea of explaining the punishment of time out in the video “Time-Out in a Responsive Classroom” made it clear to the students why a time out was necessary, and what could have caused the time out. I wish I would have done that with the students in my classroom. They were 4 and 5, and being placed in time out did not show them the correct behavior that is expected of them, but rather just served as a punishment for the negative behavior they did.

I also watched the “Exploring Education: School-wide Positive Behavior Plan” video. A main focus that the speakers highlighted was the idea of consistency with administering a school wide plan. I see this as a crucial element in the success of a school wide positive behavior plan, but I have seen first hand how hard this is to implement. Every teacher and professionals in the school have different expectation of students, and as a result allow students to get away with behaviors that another teacher may see as inappropriate. This consistency needs to be taught and stressed to the staff and create the environment where everyone is on the same page and hold the students to the same expectations.

I thought about Anthony while I was reading and watching videos in this blog. Many questions arise such as, are there other behaviors other than the swearing that have come up? Are the staff at his school consistent with administering punishments? How are teachers teaching him appropriate behaviors if he does get a punishment? What are his triggers? Our hypothesis in class is that some of the swearing and other behaviors are due to his unhappiness in his current classroom, but what is being done about it? Perhaps providing him with a more positive plan, so that when he chooses to use appropriate language, he can get a reward of his choice. I understand the importance and reasoning behind giving a time out, but I do not know if a time out is the best solution to help Anthony’s behaviors. Having him work towards a positive goal will hopefully begin teaching him more appropriate skills, rather than just placing him in a time out.

Reply

Lily Chase-Lubitz

7/31/2017 09:40:24 am

Hi Sam,

Your thoughts on seeing behavior for more than it is were really insightful. I think it is probably the most beneficial to determine the course of action for dealing with a child's behavior by first identifying the reason behind his/her behavior. I also agree that it is not helpful to label punishments as "punishments". This will only associate negative conontations with something that could be therapetuic .

Reply

Yan Li Xu

7/31/2017 09:50:45 am

Hi Sam, I also saw the videos on time out. For young children, they might not understand why they are given time out and what they are supposed to do at that time. They viewed it as punishment and think once they are done with time out, that is all. Time out should be used as the time to reflect on what they did and how to calm themselves down. It is important for teacher to explain what time out is instead of using it as punishment. Teacher should also demonstrate skills to help students calm down during time out. I think for Anthony it is important to reinforce positive behavior instead of focusing on any negative behaviors.

Reply

Caitlin Worthen

7/31/2017 06:08:10 pm

Hi Sam,
I think that time outs can be beneficial, if they are done the right way. I think that it is important for the student to know what they did wrong, and what they can do next time to fix it. Also, the word "time-out" has so many negative stereotypes. I prefer asking children if they need a break. This way, they arn't being associated with negative stigmas towards the phrase "time out."
I also questioned if educators tell Anthony why swearing is bad. I think that a social story for swearing would be really useful for Anthony to have!

Reply

Tory Small

7/31/2017 03:24:34 pm

I mainly focused on behavior management watching the PBIS video, Positive Behavior Supports video, time out in a responsive classroom video, and reading the Top 10 Classroom Management Ideas and Resources. Over the past few years I have found how important it is to be clear and concise with expectations and consistent when giving consequences for behaviors, and to make sure that the student understands why the behavior is not allowed in the classroom.

I really enjoyed the Time Out in a Responsive Classroom video. I really liked the way the teacher introduced the idea of time outs and gave an example of a time when it is hard for her to follow the rules they had created at a class. This made a safe space for students to feel comfortable sharing when it is hard for them to follow the rules too. The teacher also said that timeouts can be used as a positive useful tool. I completely agree with this. If this class was going to be using the zones of regulation, this would be a good time to introduce them as well. We used the zones of regulation in my class last year and used them as a way to indicate needing a time out. For example, if a student was feeling like they were in the yellow zone, frustrated, worried, silly/wiggly, excited, or loss of control, they could ask to go to the “zen zone” and try to calm themselves down. However, it is important to make sure that students do not try and abuse the idea of having a place to relax and calm down.

I also found the PBIS video very interesting. I have used Class Dojo in years past, however, I have never found that it is actually as helpful. It seems like the RedCritter app has a lot more to offer to its users than Class Dojo does. It is very hard to track behaviors on top of everything, but it is so important.

Reply

Caitlin Worthen

7/31/2017 05:57:57 pm

Hi Tory,
I really like implementing the zones of regulation into a classroom too. I like it because it helps the students define what they are feeling, and it helps them find methods that would help them with the behavior. I agree that some students could abuse the zones of regulation. I remember in my practicum experience, we would tell students to run up and down the stairs when they felt like they needed a break. Then, every student wanted to run up and down the stairs, multiple times a day. I think it is important to set rules and expectations for everything.

Reply

Janine Steinhauser

7/31/2017 06:24:08 pm

Hi Tory,

I like how you brought up Zones of Regulation. When thinking about Anthony, I think that he would benefit from a Zones of Regulation behavior plan. I also have used ClassDojo in the past. I was very interested to learn about Redcritter. However, I do feel that ClassDojo might be more appropriate for younger students. Redcritter seems to offer so much for teachers and would be a very useful tool.

Reply

Caitlin Worthen

7/31/2017 05:39:30 pm

I thought that it was super interesting to look at the demographics and the amount of money spent on children who are misbehaved in U.S schools today. It’s crazy to think that 40 percent of the students who are expelled from U.S schools, each year, are black. There are also a large percent of Latinos that fall into the category of getting arrested in schools today. These statistics all support the school to prison pipeline. I think that it is important to be educated in strategies that help support every student’s behavior. I also think educators need to be strong social justice advocates for all students. This means being understanding and non-discriminatory towards any group of people. If there was more support and investments in children, our country will save money on our children. There was an image that showed how it costs 3.8 million dollars to put a child in the juvenile justice program, but it cost 1 million to put a child in a supportive education.
One video I watched was called “Exploring Education: School wide Positive Behavior Plan.” The educators that the lady was interviewing made some really good points about the benefits of having PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports). They mentioned that when students are punished and taken out of school, they aren't learning, which is a huge concern for many schools today. If schools implement PBIS, the students will learn the expectations and rules of the school. They made an interesting point that not all students come to school knowing how to behave properly. That isn’t their fault, so it is our job, as teachers, to teach them what it looks like to be respectful and follow the rules in the school. My supervising teacher and I implemented PBIS into our first grade classroom. When there was an issue with behavior in the classroom, my teacher would show the students what it looked like. Then, she would show them the correct way to act in a certain situation. Teaching students positive behavior, will make for a safer and a more welcoming classroom.
I think that it would be beneficial for Anthony to be shown PBIS, for his swearing. He spends a lot of time with his parents, especially with his dad. Anthony may think that swearing is normal and can be used in a classroom because he hears his dad swearing all the time at the construction sight. But, he needs to be taught that swearing is inappropriate language and not accepted in the classroom.

Reply

Sarah Morgenthaler

8/1/2017 07:17:34 am

Caitlin,
thank you for teaching me that it costs 3.8 million to send a kid to Juvenile Detention and only 1 million to put a child through supportive education. My questions is if it is so much, why don't schools take an alternate route and give the child support within the school rather then just sending him off for someone else to deal with? Of course these children are outside forces who are playing an important part int heir behavior, but if we want students to stay in school, to learn and one day be successful we should be doing more to help them.

Reply

Janine Steinhauser

7/31/2017 06:11:15 pm

The first video I watched was the PBIS video. I was excited to watch this video and learn more about Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports. I have heard of PBIS before but have never heard of Redcritter. The video explains that the most effective PBIS strategies are the ones that teach and measure social skill growth, positive behaviors, and effective communication. The Redcritter App seems to have everything that a teacher would ever need to successfully achieve classroom management. However, I did feel that Redcritter would be more beneficial for middle and high school students. When I was teaching in Florida, I used ClassDojo and while it wasn’t as advanced as Redcritter, I feel that it is more age appropriate for elementary school students.

I also watched the Time Out in a Responsive Classroom video. Last year, the SPED teacher in classroom I worked in was a big proponent of responsive classroom. I have been trying to learn as much as I can about responsive classroom since I first learned about it. I really enjoyed watching how the teacher in the video explained timeouts to her students. She had a very calming voice and demeanor. I liked the emphasis on how everyone struggles with following the rules and directions. I also really liked how she had an open dialogue and casual conversation with her students about timeouts and breaking the rules. The video explains that timeouts are positive and useful tools for teachers, and how it is also important for students to know and understand that.

After doing research and watching these videos, I do feel that some sort of behavior plan should be implemented for Anthony. A few classes ago, we discussed Zones of Regulation. This is classroom management strategy that I feel Anthony would really benefit from. Implementing a behavior plan for Anthony will allow for him to get the positive reinforcement that he needs throughout the day. Identifying his feelings and the strategies that he used will also help him learn what works and doesn’t work during the school day.

I thought the teacher in the video was great, too! It is really important to explain every action and idea to your students, and always show that everyone struggles -- sometimes with behavior, sometimes with self regulation, sometimes with listening. I also agree that Anthony would benefit from a behavior plan. I think the family has something similar in place that works for him though, which includes "previewing" each day the night before and talking about expectations.

Reply

Sarah Morgenthaler

8/1/2017 07:08:52 am

For this week’s blog post, I spent some time exploring some videos, but mostly took my time reading the article Kids Do Well If They Can by Ross Greene. The article starts by saying that kids do well if then can, not if they want to. The article moves on to talk about that behind every challenging behavior is an unsolved problem or a lagging skill. Our job as educators is to figure out what is getting in the way of this child succeed and help him to succeed.
Green says that we need to figure out what thinking skill the child is lacking so we will know what thinking skill to teach. We as educators will also be in a better position to teach those skills and we will be able to anticipate the situations in which the challenging behavior will occur in.

What I really found interesting within this article is that most kids are disorganized in their thinking. They have difficulty sorting through their thoughts and are unable to figure out what is frustrating them. Thinking back to this past year in my fifth grade classroom, I can name about most of the class who suffered from disorganization. I did what I could do help them organize their thoughts by helping them create a job list of all the things they needed to do. I would also suggest to them to step away from their work, take a break and get back to it with a fresh clear mind. With some of my students, I had them do a fun activity to help clear their thought process. Working with fifth graders and trying to figure out what goes on in their minds is and was challenging, but they are old enough to at least describe how they are feeling even if they have a headache. From there, you learn more about the current situation and move on Trying to figure out what a first grader is feeling or what’s on his mind is a little more challenging and requires a lot more patience. But those teachers who care and have created a safe and calm environment for their classroom will be able to reach and help any of their children.

Reply

Isabella Delmoral

8/2/2017 05:01:58 pm

Sarah, it is interesting how brains work, especially during the developmental stages. Children at this age need to be taught by adults, efficient strategies to help organize their thoughts. I appreciate you giving them a break to step back from their work. I am sure they appreciate it very much and that it is very effective in producing results.

Reply

isabella delmoral

8/2/2017 04:58:10 pm

Seeing the numbers in the graphs from the School to Prison Pipeline is shocking to me. It really makes me want to do better as teacher for students with special needs. I do not want to be the reason why my students lead down those paths, since they are more likely to be arrested than students without special needs or non-IDEA students. I want to be the change in their paths and I want to find ways to improve their experiences in the classroom, in order to pave a way of success for them. When I think of students, such as Anthony, it makes me want to work harder on helping them make better choices so that they do not fall into that path –whether or not it is really their choices and not others that get them there.
I would like to foster the kind of relationship that the teacher in the Time Out video had with her students. I want to talk to my students the way she talks to hers. She speaks to them like adults and teaches them that even grownups make mistakes. It’s an honest and respectful relationship. I do not like it when adults speak to children like children. I feel as though speaking to them like adults causes them to act maturely and sets those expectations as well. If you’re going to want to be treated like an adult, you have to act like one. I also like the sense of honesty she has with them. As a kid, I appreciated and respected teachers who were sincere and opened up like that.
Reading the Kids Do Well If They Can article was also very eye opening. I found it interesting to read about the mindset that if a certain student is not doing well, it is being they do not want to, which I have seen several times. Unfortunately, I have had this mindset a few times with particular students in the past, but I know that is had to do with A LOT of factors. It is a teacher’s responsibility to find out what skills their students are lacking, in order to know how to teach them those skills needed to respond to life in an adaptive way.

Reply

Erin Bruce

8/3/2017 10:36:12 am

I focused on the time-out technique for behavior management. I understand that this tool is often considered a positive tool for helping students regulate, but I believe that often teachers take time outs too far. Often, children are escorted or guided outside of the classroom to calm down, which results in the student losing exposure to academic language and content. Obviously, a child wouldn’t learn much if they were unable to regulate their body during a lesson, but these students still absorb the vocabulary through exposure. Some teachers combat this by making a “cool down” space in the classroom, which usually involves pillows and/or calming tools. In my experience, I have seen typically well-behaved students act out of character in order to utilize these facilities. Additionally, sometimes students will throw tantrums when asked to leave the chill-out area. All that I am trying to say, really, is that time-outs can exist in many ways — although sometimes very helpful, there are always repercussions to consider. I also thought that the school to prison pipeline was an interesting concept to mention in this context. In our line of work, this is something that every teacher should be entirely educated about in order to best serve their students; particularly their male students of color. The infographics explain just as much as I typically mention on this topic, but it is also important to research the rate of re incarceration, particularly for males of color. This is a very important topic.

Reply

Eilish Reynolds

8/12/2017 07:48:15 am

Behavior is something we do not who we are. As teachers we do our best to foster positive behavior and social pragmatics, knowing those are skills that will support our success in throughout the course of our lives. As a kindergarten teacher, this is one of my most important jobs.
After watching “Kids do well if they can” I put words to my reason behind my work. At five and six years old, children are learning how behavior affects themselves and the people around them. They are building strategies to “do well”, but do not have those skills totally figured out yet. They are going to make mistakes, they are going to climb up the slide, hit their friends, say unkind words, and snatch toys away from their friends. However, should we really blame them for doing that?
In my work, I do my best to give second, third, fourth, and fiftieth chances to my students. Does that mean that I ignore the negative behavior when it occurs? No. If I see one of my students engaged in a negative or unsafe behavior, I will first insert myself into the situation, and ask them “Are you making a good/positive/kind/etc choice?” If they say no, I would ask them what they can change to make a more positive choice, then I ask them to show me. This allows students to take control of their own choices and help them develop more positive behavior skills. This goes across the lines of recess, math, music, literacy and everything in between. If the student says that, If they say yes, they were making a good choice I know I need to provide them different supports so that they can better understand that their choice was not positive and help them understand what the positive choice would have been. This might look like a conversation, a social story, or role playing.
Moreover, I find that it is extremely important to provide families with the language and resources you are using in the classroom to support positive behavior at home, too. Consistency is key and consistent language and reinforcement will help children develop those positive behaviors so that they CAN make the right choice.
It is important that all students in your classroom are held to the same expectation, however it is more important that you provide the supports and accommodations so that every student CAN do it.

Reply

Sara Cane

8/12/2017 01:47:48 pm

Eilish,
I too watched the video about 'children do well if they can' and related it back to our work with young children. I agree with you that they simply do not have the skills to make good choices all the time because of their age and their limited knowledge on 'what is right'. It is our job and goal to help them develop those skills while also being understanding of their development. By using the right language, strategies, and interventions the youngest of children CAN make the right choices.

Reply

Sara Cane

8/12/2017 01:36:46 pm

For this week’s post, I focused on behavior management. The first video I watched was ‘Calming Down in Time Out’. This video is a good resource and model for how to approach bad behaviors and consequences in your own classroom. I really appreciated the tone of voice the teacher maintained throughout the exercise and her willingness to share her own personal struggles so the students could relate and feel comfortable themselves. Developing classroom rules with your students rather than for your students allow them to feel in charge of themselves. It gives them an incentive to follow the rules because they helped create the guidelines. In addition, the teacher continued to build that positive classroom community and trust by asking them to share what is hard for them, realizing that everyone makes mistakes even adults.
In addition to addressing classroom rules, the teacher addressed the consequence of time out. In this model, it is explained that this was not a punishment, rather an outlet to take a break, reflect, and come back and make better choices. In many scenarios time-out does not work because it is an undeserved punishment and more importantly shameful. To be the only child sitting in the corner facing the wall is embarrassing for most and causes nothing but more resentment. In this positive behavioral model for time-out I would set up a secluded comfortable area where the child can take a break and reflect on their actions. There might be a journal there that they can write down how they are feeling or noise canceling headphones to relax momentarily. I think the other important part of this would be to have a system where the child and teacher communicate that it’s time for them to go to time out without everyone else being aware of it.
I could see this working for Anthony during his times of misbehavior (swearing, throwing, etc.) because we know he does need to realize aggression. For him I would probably have sensory tools in the time out where he can release a lot of his stress and tension.

Reply

Leave a Reply.

Author

Write something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview.